


Happy Birthday, Gerard

by casesandcapitals



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Drag Queens, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-28
Updated: 2013-07-28
Packaged: 2017-12-21 14:44:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/901498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casesandcapitals/pseuds/casesandcapitals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gerard gets taken to a show for his birthday, but not the one he expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Birthday, Gerard

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FranksLacePanties](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=FranksLacePanties), [ThankYouForTheDildos](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=ThankYouForTheDildos).



> I wrote this at 2am for FranksLacePanties and ThankYouForTheDildos because they demanded; " I need for someone to write a fic based on the song/music video Lady Marmalade omfg like frank's one of the cross dressing girls at this brothel called "the moulin rouge" and Gerard's buddies bring him there on his 18th birthday and he's all nervous and doesn't really wanna be there til he sees frank during the opening performance and well ya I REALLY WANT THIS"
> 
> I was too tired to write a brothel fic, so I wrote a drag queen fic. I hope you still enjoy it!

"I don't know if this is a good idea," Gerard muttered as the line moved and they got closer to the door.  
"Gerard, it's your birthday," responded Ray. "Of course we're gonna take you out."  
"But to a _burlesque show_?" Gerard shuffled his feet uneasily. "I'm not even... into that."  
Bob and Mikey shared a smirk that Gerard did not like the look of.  
"You'll like this one, Gee. It's right up your alley, I promise," Mikey assured him.

The music was loud when they finally made it inside the smokey little club. Gerard squinted into the darkness and saw nothing but men, some at the bar, some sitting around little tables. Mikey dragged him forward and snagged a table to themselves near the front.  
A thick set girl appeared at Bob's elbow and smiled down at them all.  
"What can I get you boys to drink?"  
Ray and Bob both ordered strong drinks. Mikey got a soda since he had offered to drive them home. Before Gerard could open his mouth and request what Mikey had ordered, Bob blurted out that it was his birthday.  
"Oh, sugar," smiled the girl through her overly painted face. "I'll get you something special."  
She tipped him a huge wink before retreating. Bob and Ray found it immensely funny for some reason.  
Gerard fidgeted as the house lights lowered, plunging the club into darkness and causing wild cheers and cat calls to ring out from the gathered men.  
"I really don't want-" Gerard muttered again, trying to stand. Bob grabbed his arm and forced him to sit. Gerard scowled.  
"Gentlemen!" came a husky voice over the P.A. system. "Welcome... to The Moulin Rouge!"  
The cheering got louder and Gerard squirmed in his seat.  
The spot lights flared to life to reveal three overly dressed and overly painted women on stage, backs to the audience. The music started and the girls started to dance.  
It took Gerard the entire number to figure out why the women looked so... different.  
"Mikey!" Gerard growled. "You brought me to a _drag queen_ show?!"  
"Chill out, Gerard. It's not like they're stripping or anything. Nothing _too_ morally reprehensible. Just relax and enjoy the show!"  
Gerard slouched in his velvet lined seat, ignoring Ray and Bob's laughter and the winks he kept getting from the girl- man- person at the bar. Bob was never going to let him live this down.  
It took almost the rest of the show, and at least three drinks, for Gerard to finally relax enough to start enjoying himself. Just in time for the final number.  
"And now," announced the husky P.A. voice. "What I know you've _all_ been waiting for.... The Moulin Rouge Laaaaaadies!"  
The club erupted in applause and cheering and Gerard joined in.  
The stage lights glowed and the music started, slow and sensual with a heavy beat. After a few moments, three girls walked out on stage, their steps falling in with the _thumps_ of the music. Two of them were dressed in all black; corsets, skirts, stockings and heels. The final girl, the one taking center stage, was dressed in frilly pink with thigh high boots and a lacy little jacket covering her arms. Gerard tried to keep his jaw from dropping.  
Their performance was only a few minutes long, but it was long enough for Gerard's heart to just about stop. He couldn't keep his eyes off the girl in pink. The curve of her barely there hips, the graceful sway of her arms, the jaw that- if you looked hard enough- gave her away as something not quite feminine.  
The girls bowed off stage and the club gave them a standing ovation.  
Ray, Bob, and Mikey started heading for the doors, laughing and hanging on each other.  
"Hey, uh," Gerard said. "I'm gonna grab a cab home- later."  
"Alright, have fun!" a very drunk Bob answered, waving him off and pulling the others outside.  
Gerard squeezed through the crowd and sat at the bar, ordering a water to cool himself down. He waited until the place was empty before he left and circled around back. He smoked cigarettes while he waited, pretending he wasn't cold and that this wasn't pointless.  
Gerard sunk back into the shadows then the rear exit of the club opened and a bunch of normally dressed men left, spreading out to find their cars. He tried to find the right one, searching for that jawline.  
The guy he was waiting for was the last out the door, pausing under a street light to fish a cigarette out of his pocket. He was dressed casually in jeans and a jacket, his wig was gone and his heels had been replaced with ratty sneakers. But there was no mistaking that face.  
"See you guys tomorrow!" he shouted at a few of the other men, waving with his lit cigarette.  
Gerard stepped forward. "Excuse me?"  
The guy glared at him suspiciously as he approached, sticking his smoke between his lips.  
"What?" he mumbled around it.  
"I just- you were really great."  
"Look, you're really not supposed to hang out after the show, ya know? It's kinda creepy."  
"Oh, I'm. I'm sorry. I didn't know. I just wanted to tell you how amazing you were. I've never seen anything like it," Gerard flushed.  
The guy raised a thin eyebrow at him.  
"You've never seen someone in drag?"  
"No, well yes. But that's not what I- I meant I've never seen anyone preform like that. You have a real presence."  
"Uh, thanks. That's really nice." The set of the guy's shoulders eased up a little.  
"I was in a band in college and I would've killed for that kind of confidence on stage."  
"Oh yeah?" he asked, letting Gerard draw a little closer. "What kind of band?"  
"Um, rock mostly. Some shitty punk covers when we were too drunk to remember our own songs."  
He laughed, high pitched and adorable sounding. He considered Gerard for a moment, then stuck out his free hand.  
"I'm Frank."  
"Gerard, it's really nice to meet you."  
"You got anything going on tonight, Gerard?" Frank asked.  
"Nope, just this." He shrugged. "It's my birthday."  
"Oh yeah? Happy birthday. Come on, let's go get some pancakes. My treat."  
"I- really? Yeah, that'd be great!"

They found a late night diner and sat in a tacky booth, sharing pancakes and coffee, trading college stories and performance nightmares.  
"My fucking heel broke, right? Just snapped right at the top!" Frank laughed. "And like, I was on stage, what was I supposed to do?"  
"What _did_ you do?" Gerard asked curiously.  
"I reached back and snapped off the other heel, pretended I did 'em both on purpose. The crowd got a kick out of it."  
"God, I would have panicked," Gerard chuckled.  
"If I had been younger, I totally would have. But you learn to roll with the punches, you know?" 

Dawn approached suddenly and the two men left the diner to start walking back to the club where Frank's car was parked.  
He leaned against it when they reached the parking lot, giving Gerard a long, considering look.  
"We should hang out again. Soon."  
"That would be great," Gerard flushed.  
"I have an early performance tomorrow night, why don't you come pick me up after?"  
"Okay," agreed an awestruck Gerard.  
Frank leaned in a pressed a soft kiss to Gerard's cheek. Gerard could smell perfume and sweat on him.  
"Happy birthday, Gerard."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm actually pretty unsatisfied with this, so tomorrow I'm going to write a better one that fits the prompt more and includes smut.


End file.
